Complex Malware Trends Flourishing, Says PandaLabs

According to PandaLabs, a computer security company, the surge in malware crafted to rob Internet users of their money is expected to influence current platforms of cyber attacks like Website hacking and system network intrusions in universities and banks.

The attacks wouldn't target these platforms alone as users start to use more of advance computers and the malware creators will begin using them to distribute their creations to accrue benefits.

According to PandaLabs, as cyber criminals find new means of propagation, there could be rise in threats targeting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services or Mac systems.

Moreover, it is likely that there would be a substantial increase in information-stealing trojans targeting users of online games and social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. In fact, in 2007, theft of such data formed a new model of criminal business on the Web, according to PandaLabs.

In addition, typical techniques of social engineering would continue although they would be used in new forms ranging from Windows updates to e-cards. For instance on March 5, 2008, the malware analysis and detection laboratory of Panda Security identified a new flaw in Microsoft Access.

According to PandaLabs, another method for propagating malware in coming months would be the 'drive-by download' in which a page is inserted to detect security bugs on the target systems and eventually infect them.

Jeremy Matthews, Head of Sub-Saharan Operations, Panda Security, also said that an increasing usage of kits to install malware has been observed. These kits are designed to exploit flaws in servers and then modify Web pages that earlier infected the visitors' computers, as reported by ITWeb on March 10, 2008.

Matthews said the use of such tools would increase substantially in 2008, as they have been found to effectively infect vast numbers of computer systems. Also, online criminals will continue to look for new bugs in operating software and other applications that let them to insert malware secretly.

In conclusion, PandaLabs said that attacks have increasingly become sophisticated with malware becoming ever more complex because of blending of variety of threats giving rise to new hybrid malware.

Related article: Complex Virus Infection on Italian Tourist Websites

» SPAMfighter News - 3/17/2008